The Ugly Duckling
We all know one of the most appealing parts of the airplane is the cowling. When we started the Panther project one of the main goals was to design a sexy airplane. All of the design work showed exactly what we wanted, but making it happen was another thing. Time is money, and fiberglass work […]
Rear Spar Attach Bracket, Wing Rib Gusset and Rudder Cable Fairleads
Happy Holidays from SPA! We have been working diligently on the prototype and are making good progress while juggling spending time with our dear family and friends through this holiday season. We have had some questions about how the wing fold mechanisms work and how the wing rib gussets are assembled. We also have pictures […]
Vertical Stabilizer, Tail Tips and Turtledeck Progress
Picture gallery showing the vertical tail mount, tail tips and turtledeck aft skins.
Progress Update – Turtle Deck and Horizontal Tail Installation
Why Did We Choose A Steel Tube Fuselage?
This is a very informative post by William Wynne on steel tube fuselages. http://flycorvair.net/2012/11/17/steel-tube-fuselages-safe-planes-and-250mph-accidents/
9/7/2012 – Fiberglass is underway
We have begun the fiberglass plug work. Dan started by making a template of the wing tip. He then glued it to foam using Gorilla Glue. Then constructed a hot wire cutter to quickly shave away the excess foam. Next we will start laying up the glass. We have also received our new crankshaft so […]
Brakes, Fuselage and Spar Updates
The brake and rudder pedal combo is coming together. Along with the spar and wing ribs. The spar is bolted and riveted. See pics below. A big shout out this week to Chris Welsh, Rick Koch and Ricky Reubel for your excellent workmanship, enthusiasm and Panther Spirit.
The Test Wing Is Coming Together
The stiffeners for the test wing arrived, they are amazing! The panther spar is typical in design in many respects. It uses a 6061 T-6 AL angle as caps that are riveted to the spar web. The wing skins rivet into the angle as well. The inner portions of the spar where loads are very […]
Test Fitting for all sizes
Since the fuselage is now semi-permanently tack welded we decided it was time to try it on for size. All sizes, that is! Rachel was first. She is 5’4″ and has a small build. She looks like the Panther ate her for breakfast, but she still has great visibility and can reach the controls and […]
Coming Together
The fuselage is starting to come together. Our master welder began the tack work last night and these are some pics. Dan really wanted to climb in and get a feel for the width, but it isn’t quite time for that yet. The instrument panel is a prop only – but the wing ribs are […]
